Gift exchanges are a highly anticipated part of Christmas but can also be a source of stress, especially for children anxious to look pleased or their parents worried about how they’ll respond. Kids might feel embarrassed opening presents in front of others or unsure of what to say. Help them feel prepared by reminding them how to politely accept a gift ahead of time by offering them a simple sentence so they know what to say: “Thank you, I can’t wait to play with it/wear it”.

At the same time, if you know you have kids who struggle with this more than others then let go of the expectation that they should do this and simply do it for them. For example: “This is a great gift, thank you, I know he’s going to get many hours of fun from this”. This is good modelling and with time might be something they find easier to do.

For grown-ups, acknowledging the awkwardness of gift opening can help to take the air out of any tension. If you’re someone who struggles to convey how much you appreciate a present in the moment, it’s OK to say that up front: ‘whenever I say thank you it sounds sarcastic, but please know I really appreciate this!’.

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